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A review by seskuh
The Assassin of Venice by Alyssa Palombo
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.75
I really came in wanting to like this book, I truly did. I'm a huge sucker for books with assassins in them, so when I read the synopsis on the sleeve, I was immediately sold. A badass assassin in 16th century Venice? Sign me up!
...Right.
I think there were only about two assassinations written in the book. And in a book about an assassin, I expected more assassinations. Alright, enough of that word.
Valentina doesn't have much to offer other than her looks and that she "gets the job done," so to speak. A lot of focus on her character is surrounding sex. That's cool and all, but the book is called The Assassin of Venice not The Courtesan of Venice. Her personality hardly existed aside from that, and she lacked so much intelligence that it frustrated me. Considering her secret profession, one would think she would harbor some kind of intelligence. Maybe she'd use her clients to get info on her targets as needed, or something. No? Well darn...
This especially irked me in the latter half of the book. She carelessly sought information about someone on the Council without a particular plan in mind.
When she was discovered trying to rat Malatesta out, he...just gets mad? There's no consequences to her essentially betraying her employer. Malatesta even told her that she still needed to get the job done, but let her suffer no consequence for nearly exposing him?
I don't know, the logic behind that is so flawed. If I were some power hungry politician and my employee attempted to betray me, there would be dire consequences. I would have upped the stakes, taken her daughter and held her hostage until the job was done or something. But no, he just angrily stomps away and lets her do whatever she wanted.
MAKE IT MAKE SENSE.
Malatesta has been known to kill those who betray him to make a lesson of them. BUT he doesn't do anything at all to Valentina when she attempts to write of Malatesta's wrongdoings to the Council. It's obviously hinted that he's attracted to Valentina, yet I don't think sexual attraction is enough to dissuade a desperate power hungry man on a mission to rule.
The story was so awfully predictable, I found myself skimming throughout the book. The summary on the sleeve of the book didn't help either because it gave the story away. That summary gave away about 90% of the book. That blurb basically gave the whole book away because it described the majority of the story.
I understand if it gives readers an insight to the beginning portion of the story, but the whole book? Not so much.
Gosh, this book was such a disappointment.
...Right.
I think there were only about two assassinations written in the book. And in a book about an assassin, I expected more assassinations. Alright, enough of that word.
Valentina doesn't have much to offer other than her looks and that she "gets the job done," so to speak. A lot of focus on her character is surrounding sex. That's cool and all, but the book is called The Assassin of Venice not The Courtesan of Venice. Her personality hardly existed aside from that, and she lacked so much intelligence that it frustrated me. Considering her secret profession, one would think she would harbor some kind of intelligence. Maybe she'd use her clients to get info on her targets as needed, or something. No? Well darn...
This especially irked me in the latter half of the book. She carelessly sought information about someone on the Council without a particular plan in mind.
When she was discovered trying to rat Malatesta out, he...just gets mad? There's no consequences to her essentially betraying her employer. Malatesta even told her that she still needed to get the job done, but let her suffer no consequence for nearly exposing him?
I don't know, the logic behind that is so flawed. If I were some power hungry politician and my employee attempted to betray me, there would be dire consequences. I would have upped the stakes, taken her daughter and held her hostage until the job was done or something. But no, he just angrily stomps away and lets her do whatever she wanted.
MAKE IT MAKE SENSE.
Malatesta has been known to kill those who betray him to make a lesson of them. BUT he doesn't do anything at all to Valentina when she attempts to write of Malatesta's wrongdoings to the Council. It's obviously hinted that he's attracted to Valentina, yet I don't think sexual attraction is enough to dissuade a desperate power hungry man on a mission to rule.
The story was so awfully predictable, I found myself skimming throughout the book. The summary on the sleeve of the book didn't help either because it gave the story away. That summary gave away about 90% of the book. That blurb basically gave the whole book away because it described the majority of the story.
I understand if it gives readers an insight to the beginning portion of the story, but the whole book? Not so much.
Gosh, this book was such a disappointment.